Improvement in seal-locks



W. P. BURROW.

SEAL-L0 CK.

Patented June 6,1876.

INVENTOR B 22657? M y oz'ney WITNESSES Y Czjmcdko/(MA N. PETERS, PH

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER P. BURROW, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA,-ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH OF HIS RIGHT TOROBERT W. LAMB, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEAL-LOCKS.

- Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 178,406, dated J nne 6, 1876; application filed February 19, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER P. BURROW, of Norfolk, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Money-Pouch Seal and Tag Combined; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a plan or front view of my combined seal and lock. Fig. 2 is a perspective view, showing the inner side of the seal-holder plate and keeper, and Fig. 3 is a vertical transvers section of the same.

This invention has relation to improvements in seal-looks. The object of my invention is to provide means whereby any tampering with the locks of mail-bags, railroad-ears, express-safes, trunks, pouches, valuable boxes, and other like receptacles, will be instantly detected, and, by being detected, prevented from occurring. e

To this end the nature of the invention consists mainly in the combination, with a spring pad-lock, of a movable seal-holder, having a grooved enlargement adapted to be interposed between the lock and hasp, and to be locked into this position by the springing of the latter into the look; It also consists in certain other minor novelties, all as will be hereinafter more fully explained and claimed.

In the annexed drawings, the letter A des- -ignates an ordinary spring padlock, in connection with which I propose to illustrate my invention. This lock is provided with the usual key-hole, d, by means of which a key is introduced into its interior for the purpose of throwing the bolt back and allowing the hasp to be raised. B represents a metallic seal-holder plate, which is pivoted at b to the lower end of the lock, and is provided upon its free end with an enlargement, G, the object and construction of which will hereinafter apappear. This plate is of the same general form as the lock, and is provided with a keyhole, d, registering with the key-hole of the lock and opening into a cylindrical recess, 0, upon the under side of the same, as shown in Fig. 2-, when the said plate is thrown up into the position shown in Fig. 1. It is also provided with a semi-annular recess, f, upon its under side, designed to receive a destinationslip, S, which is visible through a curved slot, g, cut in the bottom of the said recess through plate B, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. O represents a pressure-plug, also provided with a key-hole, h, registering with those, 61 d, of the lock and seal holder plate, and secured to a spring-shank, Z, pivoted to plate B near enlargement c, in a recess formed therein for the purpose. The end of this plug is concaved, as shown at m, so that when the plate B is vibrated into the position shown in Fig. 2 it will spring partly out of recess, and lock the said plate against further "ibration. Enlargement 0, above alluded to, is at right angles to plate B. It is of the same thickness as the lock. Its upper edge is of the same curvature as the under side of the hasp H, and it is provided with a transverse groove, 6, and a longitudinal groove, 1', at right angles thereto, the first of which is designed to allow the hasp'to be conveniently manipulated, and the latter to receive the same between its flanges j, thereby holding the seal-holder plate B, against outward displacement. E represents a preterably paper seal, of circular form, which is passed into recess 6 of the plate B, completely covering key-hole 11 therein, as shown in Fig. 3. Plug O is then vibrated upward into the recess, and the hasp, being first thrown into the position shown in Fig. 2, the

plate B is vibrated upward until its enlargement 0 is directly over the lock. The hasp is then sprung into the lock and the operation is complete, for the reason that the registering k y-holes d d are separated by a paper seal from each other, thus cutting off access to the former until the seal is broken. The breaking of this seal by other than an authorized person will be evidence of the bag having been tamperedwith. Plug O is in the nature of a die-plate. It also serves as a sealkeeper, and its key-hole h is provided with a curved edge, 0, which is not in line with the corresponding edges of key-holes d and d in 2 A & 178.406

the plate B and lock; consequently, when the key is thrust into the hole, it will divide only one edge ot' the seal, the other side remaining attached to the body thereof, the effect of which will be to prevent the introduction of paper into the lock by the key.

I do not desire to confine myself to the precise construction herein illustrated, as it may be varied in many ways Well understood by those skilled in the art.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The combination of a seal-holder plate B, having a flanged slot, f, for the reception of adestination-slip, a vibratory seal-keeper,

' 0, having shank llying across the said slot and confining the slip in place, substantially as specified.

2. In combination with the seal-holder plate having recess 6 upon its under side, and keyhole d, and a die-plug, 0, having key-hole h, a seal interposed between the two, substantially as specified.

3. The plug 0, having a key-hole, h, with one side out of line with the key-holes of the lock and of the seal-holder plate, substan tially as specified.

4. In combination, with a lock and arched hasp, the vibrating seal-holder plate B, having enlargement 0 adapted to engage under the arch of the hasp, substantially as specified.

5. The key-holed seal-keeper or die 0, in

combination with a seal and a key-holed sealholder plate B, recessed to receive the seal, substantially as specified.

6. The lock A, keeper or die 0, and sealholder plate B, having, respectively, the registering key-hole d h d, combined and arranged substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

WALTER P. BURROW. Witnesses:

WALTER G. MASI, FRANCIS J. MASI. 

